I don't like bass tournaments

[Jimmy_1]

Here's a solution.

Check the SEBO, BAA, BAOO and Renegade websites.

You'll know exactly which bodies of water are being fished and on which days....for bass...

So you can still fish bass, walleye, pike, musky, lakers etc....
Not every lake is used every w/e.

The Ottawa river can easily handle the tournaments it does, so can the Big R, Muskrat, Mississippi etc.

Lets not forget bass are good forage for musky.....so should we kill them off because they eat bass?

Darts may be a good thing for you. When I got back into fishing about 4 years ago I figured the majority of folk would be nice and kind etc. For the most part they are....but some feel that they "own" spots, lures etc and it makes me sick.....seriously. I like to fish but I hate the politics, BS and backstabbing that goes on.....its awful.....they are FISH for GOD's sake!

I still fish now and then with my kids and I do the BAOO circuit. But I have started to invest my free time into other things where people do check ego at the door. The gym and the guitar stores are are waaaay more chill. Nobody cares if they7 show you something and then you can lift more or play better than them.....why not the same with fishing? I don't get it???

You really need to be a politician James!!!

Thanks! I look forward to your vote this fall at the polls.

[beachburger]

Lets not forget bass are good forage for musky.....so should we kill them off because they eat bass?

No. We need muskie fishers otherwise only bass fishers would be held responsible for random atrocities here on F-H.

[Jimmy_1]

Lets not forget bass are good forage for musky.....so should we kill them off because they eat bass?

No. We need muskie fishers otherwise only bass fishers would be held responsible for random atrocities here on F-H.

LOL! YEP!

Its ridiculous.....seriously RIDICULOUS....

[bamboozler]

A statement was made that these bodies of water can easily handle the tournaments, but can it? Tourney anglers are very experienced and I’m assuming are taking whatever larger bass out of parts of the lake and “displacing” them in another part of the lake. I speak in particular about the Big Rideau (my home waters). In the last two years I’ve seen tournaments have their weigh in at Rideau Ferry with some 300 larger bass, only to be put in the live release system, which will not go the full length of the lake to proportionately drop fish off (I asked last year). However, I’ve seen a quite a few tourney bass boats in waters further west in the lake.

Is it possible that this type of fishing can make certain areas/bays less likely to hold bass (as the monster bass aren’t breeding their anymore) when they previously used to? Based on a study on the Big Rideau they discovered that bass won’t go more than 8 km to their home ground.

http://www.brla.on.ca/index.php?page=262

So, as a suggestion (from a cottager who wants to fish on the Big R for a life time) why not have the angler take the fish back from where it was found (after weigh in?) as a conservation measure? I think that many would agree that tourney guys are just as interested in conservation of bass fishing (if not more!) than a weekend warrior, particularly on bodies of water they are familiar with. Or conversely, have the live release boat drop fish off in one area for one tournament year, and another area (say near the opposite end of the weigh in) in another year.

Just a thought…maybe I should volunteer to be the "live releaser" co-captain next Big R tourney...

[AnglingRight]

ganman,

I see you missed my point. Please note the dripping sarcasm in the following...

Much like your opinion on bass tournaments, no one cares about your opinions on any other topic as well. The world is already full enough of Whiney rhetoric and Half-Baked opinions - thanks for contributing.

I read what you wrote, I'd say your using your "concern" for a young fisherman not catching fish as a soapbox as to why tournaments are destroying the world. Next time, try whipping out a wacky rigged senko and go catch a pile of fish. To think that 100+ boats on the St. Lawrence left that body of water devoid of bass is ridiculous.

If I could be so bold, could you do us all a favour - when you have a chance, just post your fishing schedule for next year and we'll ask the tournament associations to work around it. If you could also email your GPS coordinates for your honey holes, I'm sure they can make those no fishing zones for prefishing and tournament day. Oh, and if you have a prefered ramp, what we can do is ensure that there are at least two attendants there to help launch your boat and we can ask the tournament organizers to use an alternate launch.

OH, we can also ask them to change the format, where they don't actually catch any fish but just take pictures of the competitors fishing in areas where they would catch fish. Then they can just put the pictures in a hat and pull out a winner - I mean that should preserve most of the sacred waters you fish.

PS - I KNOW Renegade bass holds a kids' derby every year to introduce fishing to children with plenty of success from what I understand. But, you be sure to chastize them as well - I mean, they've probably only introduced fishing to a few hundred kids over the years where you had one bad day on the water and it's clearly because tournaments are ruining your life.

Any hey, thanks for the offer. I'd normally accept but I think you've already taught us all plenty...

- How to blame others for your shortcomings based purely on your opinion.
- How to whine like a champ!
- How not to catch fish on one of the biggest fish factory bodies of water in North America - The St. Lawrence River

OH, if you do hit the Rideau, I think there was a tournament on there a few weeks ago so at least you have a fall back position for not catching anything there either.

[AnglingRight]

Bamboozler,

I think you make a great point but I think it is a stretch to assume that any tournament association would go to those lengths.

While your concern for Big Rideau is admirable, I believe the reality is that while tournaments to have an impact on the fishery, it comes nowhere near the impact that the average waterfront landowner has on the lake.

It's clear to me with the amount of algae on BR this year that the fertilizer and chemicals sprayed on lawns is of paramount concern. Fortunately they are now studying the cause of the blooms and hopefully can put measures in place to reduce the amount of chemicals going directly into BR. While this wasn't as much of a concern 10 years ago - I would guess that the impact of the zebra mussles improving water clarity and the increase in light penetration is part of the reason for the changes in the water.

If we also look to the history of the rideau system and books like Fish Tales http://www.rideaufriends.com/book-fishtales.html I would say that the catch and release policies of tournaments and the general angling population are creating a sustainable resource for years to come. If the image on the front cover of the book is any indication, not to mention the stories and images within that show plenty of big bass being kept and eaten over the years.

[beachburger]

So, as a suggestion (from a cottager who wants to fish on the Big R for a life time) why not have the angler take the fish back from where it was found (after weigh in?) as a conservation measure? I think that many would agree that tourney guys are just as interested in conservation of bass fishing (if not more!) than a weekend warrior, particularly on bodies of water they are familiar with. Or conversely, have the live release boat drop fish off in one area for one tournament year, and another area (say near the opposite end of the weigh in) in another year.

As mentioned in another thread, there are clubs that run fish at the end of tournaments. The club I am a member of runs fish for the "open" tournamanents (20-30 boats) and pays more attention to where largies are replaced than smallies as we are under the impression that smallies are more nomadic than largies. On some bodies of water, we run largemouth several miles away from the launch.

I'm surprised to hear that the live release boat did not proportionally drop fish off.

[bamboozler]

Beachburger...I'm pleasedabout your response. I think it's great that you do run them several miles away.

I would love it if these fish would be dropped off exactly where they were caught, but hey, I'd love world peace too.

To be honest, my question to the live releaser at Renegade last year was "will you release some near Portland" He said that he couldn't go that far (it's like a pontoon boat with low HP motor, might take the poor guy all night!). But he did say he would be releasing at various points. The Big R is a big lake and sure I would imagine the the majority would have been dropped off at various points on the way within a few or more KM radius of the Rideau Ferry.

[beachburger]

I would love it if these fish would be dropped off exactly where they were caught, but hey, I'd love world peace too.

In some bodies of water, we do know exactly where they were caught and on others we have a really good idea where teams are fishing and we make an effort to distribute amongst those spots. There are a couple bodies of water where a full run is not possible or practical so we try run the largies to habitats that largies are usually found. If the 8km range stated in that survey is accurate, then most of them will find their way home, unless of course they have found a better home.....

I should point out that our club has only been running fish as a matter of course for two years.

[bamboozler]

Hi Angling, thanks for your response.

I’m perplexed though, the bass tourneys make a large effort in releasing fish (in some cases via live release boats for conservation) but it’s too far a stretch to have the tourney guys release their own fish after weigh in (if it became a tournament rule)? Or alternatively have a live release boat do a service to the lake by releasing the fish elsewhere?

I agree, us cottagers and boaters do a disservice to the lake...(look at the zebra mussels…talk about and invading species that didn’t’ exist 15 years) ago. I’m not certain the locals (cottagers) are the real anglers on the lake. It’s very rare that I see a fishing boat on slips, docks, and boathouses…wakeboard boats, sea doos, bowriders and cuddys…absolutely. None of my 10 or so neighbouring cottages ever fish, it seems. But I do know that a cottager catching a 4 pound bass will eat it, versus someone who fishes for bass as sport, will release it...

[Mike P]

Here's a solution.

Check the SEBO, BAA, BAOO and Renegade websites.

You'll know exactly which bodies of water are being fished and on which days....for bass...

So you can still fish bass, walleye, pike, musky, lakers etc....
Not every lake is used every w/e.

The Ottawa river can easily handle the tournaments it does, so can the Big R, Muskrat, Mississippi etc.

Lets not forget bass are good forage for musky.....so should we kill them off because they eat bass?

Darts may be a good thing for you. When I got back into fishing about 4 years ago I figured the majority of folk would be nice and kind etc. For the most part they are....but some feel that they "own" spots, lures etc and it makes me sick.....seriously. I like to fish but I hate the politics, BS and backstabbing that goes on.....its awful.....they are FISH for GOD's sake!

I still fish now and then with my kids and I do the BAOO circuit. But I have started to invest my free time into other things where people do check ego at the door. The gym and the guitar stores are are waaaay more chill. Nobody cares if they7 show you something and then you can lift more or play better than them.....why not the same with fishing? I don't get it???

You really need to be a politician James!!!

Thanks! I look forward to your vote this fall at the polls.

You and McGuinty both can expect my vote, pretty much for the same reasons. For someone that doesn`t like fishing politic`s, why are you always in the running.

[ganman]

I want to thank those who sent PM's who wanted to spare being ridiculed in the open forum. AnglingRight what tournaments do you fish?

[AnglingRight]

I don't fish tournaments but I have plenty of buddies that do.

What I have a problem with is individuals who feel they have the right to impose their ideals and attitudes upon others based merely on closemindedness and poor attitude.

In essence, what you are saying is that tournament anglers, under obeyance of all of the fishing laws within the province of Ontario participating in a LEGAL activity on public waters should be hindered in such a way that doesn't impact your lifestyle or recreational pleasure. So you feel your rights to enjoy recreational fishing are more important than the rights of an angler who fishes competitively? Please...

We live in a country where fortunately, our fishing and hunting rights are enshrined in law as well as our rights to access public lands and public waters. It's unfortunate that there are many many people like you who feel that their rights are paramount to anyone elses.

I've heard plenty of personal experiences time and time again from competitive anglers fishing docks and having militant a landowner throw rocks, chairs etc, landowners out right lie and say that the area is protected or private when it's not and the list goes on. In my opinion, your draconian attitude is no different than those militant landowners other than you having put it out there in a public forum.

And quite honestly, you chose to expose your ideals in a public forum, you've been ridiculed and righfully so. Wear it like a badge of honour, you earned it.

PS. I'm glad a few folks decided to PM you directly. At least you can go all Stuart Smalley in the mirror now "I'm good enough, I'm smart enough and gosh darnit, people like me"

[MLR]

When I got back into fishing about 4 years ago I figured the majority of folk would be nice and kind etc. For the most part they are....but some feel that they "own" spots, lures etc and it makes me sick.....seriously. I like to fish but I hate the politics

Jimmy_1

You could avoid a lot of the politics and get rid of your ill feelings by not reading and participating in on line fishing forums.

As a diamond participant with over 3200 posts , do you some what not think that you may have contributed to a large volume of the BS on both the giving and recieving end?

[ganman]

AnglingRight, I thought there was something peculiar about your posts. Who else capitalizes verbs? One other guy and he typed in bold and caps and accused me of same things.....Where did he go?